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Cow cuddling questions

There are a lot of creative ways to generate extra income on a farm. For instance, when my sister Diann and I were grade schoolers, we decided to open a sweetcorn stand at the end of our dairy farm’s driveway. Our budding enterprise saw little success due to the fact that our prospective customers consisted entirely of our mail carrier and our milk truck driver. The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in rural America. I recently learned of an outside-the-box business idea that involved cuddling with cows. I at first thought that cow cuddling was some sort of joke. “Who ...

New Year’s non-resolutions

It’s a new year and an unblemished calendar stretches out before us, sparkly and clean, like a freshly washed bed sheet that’s hanging on the clothesline moments before your dog snatches it and gallops through a mud puddle. This is the time of year when people often make resolutions. One of the best resolutions I have ever made was to swear off making New Year’s resolutions. This wasn’t because I was already darn near perfect and couldn’t be improved upon, although, in my opinion, there was a good argument to be made for that notion. It was mainly because I had already ...

A year of successful city accomplishments

Reflecting on this past year, the city has much to be proud of in terms of projects, development, and personnel. In November, the proposed new aquatic center year was presented to the public for their consideration with a referendum vote on Nov. 7. The results of 1,455 voting Yes to 735 voting No meant a successful referendum of over 66%. Final design plans for a new Marshall Aquatic Center are underway and the city is grateful for the public’s support. Early in the process, city staff were requested to consider making changes in how N 3rd Street functions and interacts with the ...

Start the new year right: Prioritize cancer screenings in January

At the beginning of the New Year, it’s natural to consider health improvements. Nothing puts your well-being in the spotlight better than scheduling essential cancer screenings. Screenings aid in the early identification of abnormal cells or tumors. Detecting cancer earlier often lets your care team take effective – and less invasive – steps toward treatment. Prioritize screenings to be proactive against the often-silent threat of cancer. These are the most common recommended cancer screenings: • Breast cancer: Annual mammograms are recommended for women ages 40-85 unless ...

The Gift of the Magi celebrates the true meaning of Christmas

I have my share of Christmas traditions. They include a tabletop tree, gift buying, and Christmas cookies. Another tradition involves something I read. Each year I read the O’Henry short story The Gift of the Magi. It’s been one of my favorite short stories since childhood. The Gift of the Magi is about a couple named Jim and Della, who live in a New York City apartment and struggle to keep up with the cost of living. Della did everything she could to save up for a nice Christmas present for her husband. All she managed to save was a dollar and 87 cents. Even in their day, that ...

A year-end review

The year 2023 arrived amidst a blast of cold and snow. That wasn’t unusual for this neck of the woods, although Mother Nature went a bit overboard regarding her winter weather deliveries. Classes were canceled so often that school officials began to publicize when there would be school instead of announcing yet another snow day. The school year was extended into the summer of 2026 to make up for missed days. February brought little relief from the unrelenting cold and snow. In an effort to liven things up and stave off cabin fever, I whipped up a batch of my Mom’s baked beans. This ...